Its time for me to find a good doctor to help me watch after my health. I'm not looking for much: just and excellent doctor with a good command of English, low prices and his own clinic (I don't want to pay a commission to a hospital each time I see him).

Can anybody recommend a doctor like this?

If you want to venture to Ban Dung we have a Chinese guy that I use who fulfils your criteria. Fully equipped with his own Pathologist, X Ray equip, scanners etc. He also does acupuncture. Did my cholesterol and prostrate checkups for 500 Baht. Removed two big cysts from TW boob, under general anaesthetic, at the local hospital for 4500 Baht in total inc. tips for the nursing staff. His primary position is surgeon at the hospital but moonlights in his clinic 08:00 to 09:30, 12:00 to 13:30 and 16:30 to last patient in the evenings.

You will have to go a long way to beat those prices from a competent physician!

Thank you for the reference, Bandung_Dero. If this Ban Dung is the one that I am thinking of, its a bit too far out of the way. I was hoping for a recommendation of a doctor within a short motorbike ride of Udon.

I talk with a English speaking doctor on my morning walks. He graduated from Chiang Mai U and has his own clinic on Posri Rd across from the Bangkok Bank. He's a general practitioner and also does outpatient surgeries in his clinic, as he's a surgeon, also. I don't recall his name, but the clinic is named after him.

I think he probably does day time office hours as he told me he no longer works at any hospital because they pay too little.

The next time I speak with him I'll see if I can get a card and/or the exact address of his clinic or you could just try finding it yourself. There aren't many clinics in that area, although a few pharmacies and a Chinese Herbalist.

Ummm a qualified surgeon, now working as a GP coz the public system doesnt pay him well. Yes well documented in Thailand and they loose all the good consultant trainees to the private sector.

Ie A trainee cardiologist at Chula earns approx 20,000 per month for an 80 hr week ! Rostered OT is done free. So why does this trainee leave the public system, coz she is a stunner and now earns 200,000 B per month working in a skin clinic, latest she finishes work is 2100 hrs Sat and Sun and 2 seperate days off per week.

But

1/- Why doesnt he practice surgery in the private system ? is this because of clinical competence ???

Ok it could be lifestyle, young family, but most surgeons work an on call roster, 1 night per week etc

His address is 196 Posri Road.

If you pay him a visit, let us know what you think.

Thank you for this information!

I will check this out and report back!

I went to the clinic today.

When a woman came to the counter, I asked if the doctor was there today.
She said yes, he is there.
I asked if I can see him (all this in Thai with appropriate pantomime.)
She said, "Well, what do you have?"
"I don't have anything."
"Then why do you want see the doctor?", She wanted to know.
"Because I want to check everything."
From there, communications broke down and I had to resort to calling a bilingual friend on my cell phone for interpretation.

What the lady behind the desk was trying to tell me is that they only see sick people at the clinic, but not real sick people; just people a little sick. They are not equipped to do extensive tests, and I should go to a big hospital for that.

Well, not a shocker.

I thanked her for her time and left.

So now, I am further discouraged from getting preventive medical outside the hospital. Maybe the best route is to find a doctor with pretty good English skills at a government hospital. Any thoughts or recommendations?

well rick i should wait in the road and speak to the doc yourself
expat will probably tell you where he hangs out

When u need medical care in another country where your native language is not Thai etc, then u do need a good medical officer / clinic that can understand clearly your medical requirements / needs.

Im sure part of the reason why some mis diagnosis occurs here in Thailand ,particularly regional Thailand is because of this.

You dont need to be a rocket scientist to comprehend the consequences of this.

Cheap options just dont work as you get older.

You can bring a long haired dictionery with you, but they also need to understand / comprehend the clinical issues. If they dont, then dont involve a 3rd party to start off with.

Members here, often talk of obtaining cheaper prices and that is understandable, but if you go to the larger private hospitals , you will pay more, and why, well they do employ medical staff who have english etc...

Competency of the physician is first and foremost.As in most countries,but especially in Thailand,the best doctors are in the most expensive settings!

My wife just had a tumor diagnosed in a NK setting,she is now at Bumrungrad hospital in Bangkok for a second,and possibly a more in depth diagnosis and opinion regarding the tumor and the need for surgery or not etc.!

I'm sorry to hear that about your wife, Stan. Please give her my wishes for the best of luck and the best outcome, and even though I haven't been to a night market meeting in a while, I am looking forward to seeing her again soon.

BTW, I have to agree Bumrungrad or BNH are the best places to go (depending on the doctor) for serious stuff.

Rickfarang, because my wife is a nurse, I've had a chance to meet several Dr.s and find most of them have no problems with English. She recommended a couple of them that she considers the better ones but mostly they specialize... not just GP's like we might be used to. All seem to have a clinic in town but I see them at Udon Hosp.

1. Thawat Thumatbawarn - Ural System, Kindney, Bladder, etc. (I've used him and recommend also)

2. Krengengsak Pimda - Corinary, Heart, Lungs, etc.

Eyes - Siriruk Visetsilapanon (Miss), no clinic but excellent English, see her at Udon Hosp.
Siriwat Chaiea - Eyes, cataracs, etc. (rather expensive in his clinic, recommend the lady above.)

rickfarang wrote:I'm sorry to hear that about your wife, Stan. Please give her my wishes for the best of luck and the best outcome, and even though I haven't been to a night market meeting in a while, I am looking forward to seeing her again soon.

BTW, I have to agree Bumrungrad or BNH are the best places to go (depending on the doctor) for serious stuff.

Thanks,actually she is a perfect example of doctor incompetence!I don't yet know what the difference was for diagnosing,but the doctors at Bumrungrad found no signs of any tumors for ''only''4200 baht For 700 baht in NK they found the tumor!She is very happy and relieved,especially since her brother just died from cancer!

I am very happy about it also,but a wee put out about having to spend 10K plus to disprove a bad diagnosis,although half the expense gives her an opportunity to visit with friends in Bangkok!